Sai

North part area of Kyoto city,it’s quite peaceful suburb surrounded by the forest and the small mountains. There will be feel different air from center of the city that filled with many historic monuments and traditional architecture. His name is Sai, an artist, describe organic structure by embossing the paper and leather,has created his works in the traditional house in this area. The old house called “P house”, is using for his creative space and as a place to live. Also the space has a function of showroom to display the works because of his thought that the art works must be live in human’s daily life.

P house’s living room with his works paper lighting

Framed for wall decoration

Light covers made by paper

He told that the art theme is”surface”, it’s shown clear fact … on the other hand it express a very abstract things, such as madness, grotesque and purity of human feelings.

– “Surface always shaking my heart deeply. I would like to show on my works that it’s a multifaceted things and the shapes are not stay on the one. Surface has a beauty and also its has completely contrary things.”-

The beautiful-formed works are started by make the base pattern. The foundation drawing by all his hand works used some paints. Paint becomes hard, something like cells crowded emerges. Raindrops,snake,bird,leopard…the idea of his pattern comes from nature(actually they doesn’t have exact name). It seems that it also seems to represent the skin of the creature, and built-in tissue at the back of the epidermis, it appears also as a cell of the micro-level speaking more. You will see the big and heavy etching press in his house,it is a machine with 600 kg weight, and re-use what Masuo Ikeda printmaker famous in the world have ordered. Then he put a paper on there, turn the handle gently in a calm mind.

His works adorn the wall like a painting may be, but Watch in their lives everyday by incorporating the product as screen and lamp shade also it would be good.

embossed on the paper and leather

Paint materials

Etching press

-Could you tell me the place when you wanna charge some inspiration?

Sai: My works is almost concerned with organic creatures. Frequently I strolled in the nature to see woods,flowers,grasses and creatures. Kyoto botanical garden is one of my favorite,person is also little in the beaten path even in Kyoto. Cherry blossoms in spring, autumn can enjoy the autumn colors. I like spend at the italian cafe & restaurant located in the park,named IN THE GREEN. There is a terrace with beautiful sight, dogs also allowed.

Appreciate to some architectural structure is my interest too,Doma house,a self renovated machiya house produced by a Hungarian exchange student and his friend is fun to visit place. It is a share house their, the house is also a community space and they has a watching movies Board of irregular.

Sai: Usually …take along them to neighborhood of my house. Kamigamo shrine and Ota shrine is worth to visit place, there are clear stream between 2 shrines that I has enjoyed play in the cold water in summer time. Also don’t forget to visit Kyoto botanical garden !

-Do you have any restaurant which you can’t help loving?

Sai:Shirukou is soooooo nice Japanese restaurant! It’s a restaurant that specialized in soup, I can’t get enough of some kind of soup…Rikyu-bento will brought grate lunch time for you! Tunamichi is a udon restaurant that’s my favorite too,soup stock taste wonderful and its noodles are all hand made. I has visited a italian restaurant Capodimonte several time which is very close to my house, yes I always love to visit my neighborhood.

Sai’s family FUKU-chan

Sai & his wife tomoko in front of P house

Sai-

The expression technique uses many, such as photographs, prints and drawings.SAI continues to strive to create a beauty of contradiction that texture of surface hasmadness, grotesque, and purity. Since 2012, SAI creates a print that uses techniques of embossment to the skin of organic motif.

He thinks that nice to meet some tourist ,if you have interested in his works ,make sure contacted him before you visit.